Manipulate
by shewhowearsglasses
Summary: Dick Grayson may, more often that not, seem like a carefree man. He may appear to be happy, and helpful, and everything but quiet, but in fact he had a dark side. Well, to be frank, it was a kind-of dirty white. I mean, come on, it's not that bad. In which, Dick helps everyone in the household, each in their own subtle way.


**I actually love this piece. It's not necessarily good. I just love the concept! Dick is my favorite. He is my spirit animal.**

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**Manipulate**

Most assume that Dick Grayson, being the oldest, was always busy, or out with Barbara. In fact, Dick was around the most. He was the perfect older brother, and when necessary, father-figure. He was always there to comfort Stephanie after fighting with Tim, or play hide-and-seek with Damian, when it felt like the newest Robin needed to be a kid again. He helped Alfred with the laundry, as the older man filled him in on the latest gossip, and Tim usually came to him for love-advice, more often than not, only hours after Stephanie had left. Even Jason needed help with cleaning his motorcycle every once in a while.

Swinging his legs around, Dick perched himself atop the counter and flipped the page of his magazine. He chewed on a red apple without thinking, taking another bite just as the front door slammed open.

He blinked, looking up quickly to witness his younger brother storm into the kitchen, slamming every cupboard in his search for sustenance. "Wanna talk about it?" Dick wondered aloud, smirking as Tim glared back scathingly.

"It's none of your business, Grayson!" The third Robin roared, shutting the refrigerator door sharply and turned on his heel. Dick winced, rolling his eyes at the teenager's dramatic performance.

As soon as Dick was left alone, he shrugged and resumed reading. His legs continuing to swing, and he began to whistle, throwing the apple-core into the garbage can without looking.

The door once again closed loudly, as Stephanie Brown burst into the kitchen and threw herself onto the counter.

Dick, sighing as he did so, let the magazine fall to the counter as he took in her appearance. Her hair was disheveled as if she'd been repeatedly running her hands through the long blond locks, and her make-up was smeared. Her eyes were dark and gave her the look of a raccoon. Repeating his earlier statement, Dick placed his hand consolingly on her shoulder, "what did Timmy do this time?"

Stephanie looked up, as if just realizing she had company in the large, dark kitchen. It was probably seven-o-clock, and she was still in her school clothes. Dick had a navy blue sweatshirt on, his smile was reassuring as his hand began rubbing circles along her spine. "Nah," she sighed, moving her face back into the comfort of her arms, "not now."

Dick nodded, understanding her need for silence. Meanwhile, he readjusted his place so he sat upon the stool to her left. His hand never left her back, only pausing momentarily to pull the sobbing girl against him. "Shhh," he whispered against her as his fingers moved into her hair.

Stephanie grasped his sweatshirt in two small fists, moving her face into his neck, and dampening his once tear-free appearance.

As soon as she was braced against his chest, Dick brought his arms up around her. He pressed his lips to the crown of her head briefly, before running his hands through her hair soothingly. They remained in this position, for what seemed like days, but was probably only minutes.

Finally, the tall blond loosened her grip and pulled away from the hold, rubbing at her raw eyes. He did not ask again about the fight, only watched her in a worried manner, squeezing her hand as if to say what words could not. She reached across the counter for a napkin, streaking the white material with black make-up as she rubbed it against her green eyes. When her face look sufficiently better, the girl balled the napkin into her fist and turned to Dick, "he's so _stupid._" She whispered, almost laughing bitterly.

Dick nodded, "I know, Steph. That imbecile doesn't know the first thing about girls." He muttered, leaving a mental note to yell at his brooding younger sibling later. "I apologize on his behalf."

"Oh, Dick!" Stephanie laughed, a short tinkling sound that almost made him smile, if not for her red eyes and his tear-stained sweatshirt. "You always know what to say, but no. Don't make excuses for him. That dick, erm... Excuse me. That... jerk can apologize for him_self_!"

He nodded, smirking at the mix-up. "And I'll make sure he will! If not, his costume will be taken for a month!"

"You can make that happen?"

"But, of course! Why do you think Damian was missing from assignments a few months back?" Dick laughed with Stephanie, her smile genuine for the first time all day. "Alfred 'accidentally' poured bleach all over it while washing the blood out," he smirked remembering that night.

"I wouldn't mind Tim being absent for the week..." Stephanie whispered, winking conspiratorially.

He nodded, "I wonder where Alfred hid the bleach this time..."

Tim did not take long. Only ten minutes after Stephanie left the manor, he arrived. Dick turned to address the knock at his door, having relocated after his talk with the new Batgirl. "Come in!"

"Dick?" The younger male called, looking guilty as he scuffed his feet along the floor.

"You've got some nerve coming to me, Tim." Dick spoke from the foot of his bed, his furious stare causing Tim to shift nervously.

"Well... I..." Tim paused, looking down, then up, then right, and basically everywhere but at the angry face of his older brother, "I imagine Steph over-exagerated if not slightly..." He stopped talking when a growl sounded from the back of Dick's throat.

"Don't you _dare _blame this on that poor girl!"

Tim shifted again, balancing on his right foot as he watched Dick ball his fists, before standing. Tim immediately felt diminished in size, while he was still growing, the older man still had about 6 inches on him. Dick's hands went to his hips, as he hovered over him.

Tim kicked his foot against the floor, "I... I'm sorry! I don't know... She's just so... Ugh!" He shouted nonsensically as he fell to the bed, where Dick rested only moments before.

Dick's smile was tight-lipped and affronted, but at Tim's obvious show of exasperation, his lips loosened into a hollow smirk. "Tim, you're such a complete dunce. Don't apologize to _me_!"

"How!" Tim shouted as he bolted upright, glaring at Dick. The glare did not affect the older man, as there was no anger behind it, only a provoked sort of worry that he could not win over Stephanie. "How am I supposed to apologize to her when she's so...UGH!" He exclaimed again, as he yelled his frustrations into a pillow.

"That's _your_ problem, Timmy." Dick laughed, patting the younger man encouragingly. "Now, go off and be jolly!" With that final word, the newest Batman gripped Tim by his ears and hauled him from the room.

Several painstakingly long hours later, Stephanie and Tim were happily curled up against the couch. Her head lolled cutely against his chest, as he curled his index finger around a strand of her hair.

Dick grinned as he passed the scene, nudging Damian from the room, as the boy tried to tamper with the newly happy-couple.

"Grayson! What on earth-!" The boy protested, earning him a cuff to the back of his head.

"Don't those two deserve a moment of peace, Damian! Come now, let's go play hide-and-seek. You hide." Dick grinned, pushing the boy away and making a show of covering his eyes.

"That's child's play!"

"One! Twoooo!" Dick sang, waggling his fingers against his closed eyes as if to display his seriousness. Damian mumbled something about obnoxious unfit-to-be-called-Batman Grayson's as he scampered from sight.

He snickered and sauntered down the stairs as soon as Damian had fled the room. Alfred had claimed to need help with laundry, after all.

"Master Grayson?"

"Hm? Alfred! Want some help?" Dick asked as he came upon his oldest friend.

Alfred smiled serenely, as he folded a red t-shirt that had to be Tim's. "I can handle this on my own, but if you'd like to stay, you are welcome to entertain yourself as you wish."

"I think I'll stay!" Dick announced, plopping himself in front of a nearby chair and grabbing the basket Alfred had yet to touch. He cleared a spot on the chair for clothes, and began folding as well. "So, what's up?"

Not twenty minutes of quiet conversation later, Damian came storming down the staircase.

"GRAYSON!" He yelled as he entered the room.

A smirk touched the corner of the man's lips as he answered with a "yeah?"

"I won! Did you not even try? I was left in my hiding spot for twenty minutes!" The angry child wailed, stomping his foot as maturely as he could manage. "What are you _doing_?"

Dick finally turned away from his finished pile, glancing at Damian, before carefully depositing the clean laundry in the empty bin. "I got bored."

Damian huffed, "_bored_?!_ You_ were bored! I was bored! You left me to assume you were coming to get me!"

The taller man laughed, "sorry, Dam-"

"Don't call me that." The boy muttered, with a sneer.

"-I decided I didn't want to play anymore. You're _such_ a good hider, it wouldn't have been fair to me."

"Hm... How about we test that, Grayson?" Damian asked with a smirk, twisting his hands together behind his back as he realized how quickly he could find the man. "You hide. _I'll_ seek."

"I don't-"

"ONE! TWO! THREE! FOUR!" Damian shouted enthusiastically as he lost himself in the game, capturing his dark eyes with both hands. Dick laughed, rolling his eyes at Alfred, who smiled knowingly, and leaping up the stairs to "hide."

His spot was under Damian's bed. It was obvious, because he'd left the normally closed door open, and had yet to cover himself with the blanket. He decided against it, setting his cause back even farther as he began to sing in a whisper. "Spider-man, Spider-man, does whatever a spider can-"

"Found you!" Damian shouted, smirking manically as he pointed at him.

"Seems it." Dick spoke as he pulled himself from under the bed, stretching his neck in the process. He'd probably remained hidden for under 3 minutes. The kid was fast, but he hadn't really tried.

Damian walked out of the room, smirk still in place, and Dick knew he'd won. The little menace wouldn't even think to bother Stephanie and Tim for at least an hour or two.

Dick Grayson may, more often that not, seem like a carefree man. He may appear to be happy, and helpful, and everything but quiet, but in fact he had a dark side. Well, to be frank, it was a kind-of dirty white. I mean, come on, it's not that bad. He was manipulative. He was the puppet-master of the family, changing each and every situation so that the household remained in order. And that was exactly how he liked it.


End file.
